Key and process of forming the same



. I E. B. STONE KEY AND PROCESS OF FORMING THE SAME Filed Jan. 10, 192] Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

ELMER B. STONE. OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN HARD- VTARE CORPORATION, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- NECTICUT.

KEY AND PROCESS FORMING THE SAME.

Application filed January 10, 1921.

1 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELMER B. STONE, a citizen of the United States, residing in New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Key and Process of Forming the Same, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates especially to that class of devices employed for operating the mechanisms of locks, and an object of my invention, among others, is the production of a key from sheet metal that shall be extremely durable and simple in construction and that shall, at the same time, resemble keys heretofore made by a stamping or like process.

One form of key embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may

be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of a portion of a piece of sheet metal illustrating the several steps employed in producing my improved key.

Figure 2 is a view of a single blank in section on a plane denoted by the dotted line 22 of Figure 1 illustrating the blank after the action of the dies in the second step in the process.

Figure 3 is a similar View after the action of the dies in the third step in the process and on a plane denoted by the dotted line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4; is an end view of the blank after the action of the dies in the fourth step in the process and on a plane denoted by the dotted line 4.-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a like view after the action of the dies in the fifth step in the process and on a plane denoted by the dotted line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a View of the finished key.

Figure 7 is a view of the finished key 4 showing the opposite side thereof from that illustrated in Figure 6.

While, in producing my improved key illustrated and described herein, each key may be formed by a number of successive steps separately taken upon the particular piece of metal comprising that key, yet I prefer that such successive steps shall be taken upon each piece of metal or blank before it is separated from the original sheet, the final Serial No. 436,138.

step in the process, as illustrated and described herein, in fact comprising the completion of the key bow and the finishing of the key by cutting the latter from the sheet of metal from which it is constructed. This sheet may be of a Width to enable rows each of several keys to be made thereon, two such keys being illustrated in the drawings herein, and of indefinite length to enable the production of many rows of keys, and the dies for imparting the difl'erent successive shapes to the blanks may be so relatively arranged that the sheet or strip of sheet metal may be fed to them in a manner to enable the successive steps to be performed upon the blanks, and, at the same time, when the sheet or strip of metal has been fed far enough to cause all of the dies to act thereon, the same operation will be taken upon all of the blanks at each operation of the dies, with a result that one or more finished keys will then be produced at each operation of the dies.

In the operation of producing my improved key the first step in the process resides in cutting a round hole or holes 6 and a rectangular hole or holes 7 in a strip or sheet of metal 5, the round holes being located in those parts of the blanks to even tually comprise the key bows, and the rectangular holes being for the purpose of partially forming the key bits.

In the next or second step in the operation the blanks are each partially out to comprise a bit section 8 and a portion of a bow section 9 and two barrel sections 1011, the bit section 8 extending from the barrel section 10.

In the next and third operation the bit section 8 of each blank is bent at about its crosswise center to form a bend 12, and the opposite edge of each blank, that is, the edge of the barrel section 11, is bent into a 11p 13.

In the next or fourth step in the operation each blank is bent lengthwise at about its center and is depressed along this bend to form a groove 14:, the formation of this groove in each of the blanks carrying the bend 12 and the lip 13 thereon upwardly above the plane of the sheet or strip and also locating them closer together. a

In the fifth step in the operation the barrel sections 10 and 11 are bent into the form of a round tube 16, the bit section 8 is bent double upon itself, the end of this bent part being pressed downward tightly against the barrel section 11 and the bend 12 now comprising therouter end of the bit 17. In this bending of the barrel parts to form the barrel of the key, a scallop 15 that was formed in the blank in the second operation, is bent down closely against the surface of the blank at the base of the bow section 9. In depressing the blank, in the fourth step of the operation as hereinbefore referred to, to form the groove 14, one side of the barrel was formed to gradually slope and merge as at 19 from the rounded portion into the flat surface of the blank, and in pressing the scallop 15 against the base of the bow section the opposite side of the end of the barrel is formed, both sides of which now present a round barrel sloping gradually to and merging into the surface of the bow of the key and producing an appearance very similar tothatof a solid key, heretofore made.

' The formation of the entire stem from the bit to the bow in tubular shape including the overlapping of the tubular barrel section "onto. the base of the bow section and pressing the parts tightly into engagement each with the other strengthens the parts and prevents a tendency of the otherwise thin flat shank of the key to bend or twist.

In the sixth step in the operation the blank, or what is now the practically finished key 18, is cut from the sheet of metal, this cutting merely finishing the shape of the bow section 9 and severing the completed key from the sheet ofmetal.

The securing of the end of the bit section 5 of the-blank against thesurface of one of the barrel parts near its edge securely holds the two barrel parts against separation at this point, and the structure closely resembles the keys heretofore made from solid pieces of metal by cutting and boring, and by my improved process I am enabled to form from a piece of sheet metal a key closely resembling said prior types of keys and requiring scrutiny to distinguish one from the other.

claim 1. A key blank composed of a unitary 1 piece and comprising a single bow section, a

bit section on one side, and a barrel section having the major portion thereof on the opposite side extending for subsequent engagementwith the bow section. V

2. A key formed from sheet metal and comprising barrel sections bent to tubular shape with a bow integrally formed thereon, one of the barrel sections being bent over the other barrel section and against the base ofisaid bow, and a bit integrally formed therewith at the opposite end of the barrel.

3. A key formed from a unitary piece of sheet metal and comprising a barrel bent to tubular form with a seam at one edge, and a bit folded at one side of the barrel to engage the barrel near the seam and support the barrel parts at the scam against separation.

4. A key formed from a unitary piece of sheet metal and comprising a barrel bent to tubular form with a seam along one edge and with an integral bow against the base of which one partof the barrel is closely pressed, and an integral bit folded upon itself at the end of the barrel opposite the bow and pressed into contact with the barrel adjacent the seam to hold the barrel parts at the seami against separation.

5. A key formed from sheet metal and comprising a channeled barrel portion with a bow integrally formed thereon, a second channeled barrel portion lying against the base of said bow, and a bit integrally formed with one of said channeled barrel portions at the end of the barrel opposite the bow.

6. The process of fori'ning a key from a blank of sheet metal that consists in providing a blank with barrel sections and a single bit section, then partially forming the barrel by depressing the barrel sections to form a groove, and then pressing the barrel sections into the form of a tube and bending the bit section backwardly upon itself to form a bit of two thicknesses of metal.

'7. The process of forming a key from. a blank of sheet metal that consists in provid ing a blank with barrel sections and a bit section, then bending lips on each of said barrel sections, then closing the barrel sections partially toward each other and grooving the blank lengthwise, then pressing the barrel sections into the form of a tube and bending the bit section baekwardly upon itself and terminating against said barrel section to form a bit of two thicknesses of metal.

8. A key formed from sheet metal and comprising a barrel bent to tubular form with a seam along one edge and with an integral bow, and an integral bit folded upon itself at the end of the barrel opposite the bow and with its edge pressed into contact with the side of the barrel to hold the barrel parts at the seam against separation.

9. A key formed from'sheet metal and comprising a barrel bent to tubular form with a seam along one edge and with an integral bow, an integral'bit at one endof the barrel folded back against itself and with its edge pressed into contact with the barrel adjacent the seam to hold the said barrel against separation at the seam.

ELMER B. STONE. 

